Photo Ops
by sasha1600
Summary: Gibbs responds to the ‘duelling photos’ issue. Tag to Conspiracy Theory. Warning: spanking of adults. Don’t like? Don’t read!
1. Chapter 1

**Photo Ops**

**Summary**: Gibbs responds to the 'duelling photos' issue. Tag to Conspiracy Theory. **Warning**: spanking of adults. Don't like? Don't read!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own 'em, I just play with 'em.

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A/N: This is part of my discipline series but should make sense on its own. It begins immediately after the last scene in Conspiracy Theory, when Gibbs opens his e-mail.

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**Warning: This story contains the non-sexual spanking of adults. There's also a passing reference to the existence of BDSM. If you have a problem with that, click on that 'back' button now. You've been warned.**

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Gibbs looked up at the double 'ping' of his computer, and saw that he'd received e-mails from both Tony and Kate. Both contained attached photos. From the way both agents were rushing out of the bullpen, he suspected that they hadn't intended to send them to him. Curious, he clicked on the first.

His face registered shock at the unexpected sight of a younger Kate Todd, sopping wet and grinning. He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. So that was what Tony had been tormenting her about since the case began. He must have found it, somehow, while he was off on 'spring break' with his fraternity buddies. Tearing his eyes away from the image of his attractive female agent in a wet T-shirt, he closed the photo, making a mental note to talk to Tony the next day about blackmailing and embarrassing his team mate.

He opened the second photo.

What appeared on his screen was even more shocking than the photo of Kate. He had to admit, it was well done. He knew that Tony's picture had to have been superimposed somehow on the photo of the leather-wearing men, but the manipulation had been skilful and, even knowing what to look for, he couldn't see any evidence of the ruse.

His immediate rush of anger and indignation on the younger man's behalf was tempered by his understanding of the context; it had been vindictive, but he could see how Kate would have been tempted to strike back at her tormenter. Still, Tony had threatened only awkward embarrassment; this had the potential to create serious problems for him.

And McGee's participation in the stunt could not so easily be justified. Kate was clever, but she didn't have the computer skills to pull something like this off on her own. She'd obviously appealed to Tim's own feelings of victimisation by Tony, and convinced him to help her get her revenge. But, while DiNozzo had subjected him to mild teasing and hazing ever since he'd joined the team, that didn't excuse him getting involved in this particular conflict. He should have left Kate to fight her own battles.

Closing the second photo and powering down the computer, Gibbs grimly decided that he would have to deal with all three agents when they got in in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs strolled casually from the elevator to his team's area of the squad room, his face giving no warning of the firestorm he was about to unleash on his agents' heads. He settled himself at his desk and took a sip from his coffee. He let Tony update him on the memos and files that had arrived overnight, as usual; he needed to make sure there were no urgent cases demanding their attention that would require him to postpone his response to their petty squabbling. Satisfied that he could devote at least part of the morning to teaching them a much-needed lesson about team loyalty, he took another sip from his cup, then launched into his best 'Gunny' command bark.

'DiNozzo!'

The younger man looked up, wary at the sudden shift in tone.

'Yeah, Boss?'

'Do you really think that _blackmailing_ someone with a compromising photo is appropriate behaviour within a team?'

Tony recognised the trap; he couldn't condemn Kate's actions without admitting that his own were also wrong.

'Uh... no, Boss.'

'Kate?'

'Gibbs, he was...'

He cut her off.

'I don't care who started it, Kate. Just answer the question.'

She mumbled something that might have been 'No, it's not.'

'McGee?'

He answered, although he looked confused by the question.

'Uh, no, of course not....'

'Then why did all of you engage in what you've all just admitted was inappropriate behaviour?! You are supposed to be a team! That means you watch each other's backs, not stick a knife in them! Deliberately embarrassing a team mate is unacceptable. Using the threat of that embarrassment to manipulate a team mate is even more unacceptable. And I doubt any of you stopped to think about the potential embarrassment to this agency, and to _me_, if anyone outside this room found out about your adolescent feuding, but that's unacceptable, too.'

Tony and Kate were looking rather sheepish. Tim seemed completely dumbfounded, and was starting to look panic-stricken as well. Gibbs felt a moment's regret about including his most junior agent in what he had planned. He'd hoped to avoid spanking Tim, except in the most egregious circumstances; he knew how severe a punishment it would seem to the sensitive younger man. But if he was going to join in with the others' antics, he would just have to deal with the same consequences.

'You haven't even managed to act like adults, the last few days, much less like _federal agents_.'

Gibbs paused before addressing each one individually.

'Tony, if a couple of days with your fratboy friends is all it takes for you to forget that you have responsibilities, then you'd better rethink how you use your next vacation. Because if you can't act like you're mature enough to carry that badge and gun, I'll take them from you myself. Kate, there's no other way to put it... that was bitchy. Don't bother pretending that you don't know damn well how much trouble a picture like that could cause. Do something like that again, and you'll be off my team so fast you won't know what hit you. Tim, I know Tony can be a pain in the ass, but I expected better of you. You didn't get a degree from MIT so you could do that cut-and-paste thingy with photos and I know you know better than to use this agency's technology to mess around like that.'

Tim's mouth was hanging open. He looked frantically between Kate and Tony, obviously surprised and confused. Gibbs couldn't tell if he was merely surprised that his part in the conflict had been discovered, or if he was actually foolish enough not to have expected his boss to punish him for it.

'I don't know what got into all of you, but I do know that you going to very much regret it.'

X X X

Tim struggled not to hyperventilate. He knew how Gibbs usually punished his agents when they screwed up more seriously than could be dealt with by a slap upside the head. His boss had never spanked him, and ever since he'd seen those welts on Tony's ass, he'd been extra careful not to do anything that he thought might earn him the first whipping of his life. Now it seemed like he was going to be spanked for something that he not only hadn't done... he didn't even understand what he was supposed to have done.

His mind raced frantically. He started to open his mouth to protest his innocence, but found himself too terrified to actually speak. He gasped wordlessly, then watched in horror as his boss turned towards him.

X X X

'_What_, McGee?!' Gibbs snapped. When he didn't get an answer from the obviously frightened younger man, he gave him a hard look. Before he could remind him that he could have avoided this by not getting involved in the first place, Kate called his name. He turned towards her.

'McGee had nothing to do with it, Gibbs.'

He narrowed his eyes and fixed her with his 'don't you dare lie to me' look.

'Honestly. He didn't help me photoshop the picture of Tony. He didn't even know about it.'

Gibbs looked more closely at the younger man. He seemed relieved by Kate's declaration, and still a bit lost by the conversation around him.

'McGee, did you put Tony's face on a picture of a half-naked gay cowboy?'

Nobody could fake the expression on Tim's face.

'Did you show Kate how to do that photo store thing?'

Tim recovered enough to answer, stuttering slightly.

'Uh, it's photo_shop_, Boss. It's software that lets you... uh... yeah... a couple of months ago I showed her how to clean up a picture that she wanted....'

Gibbs cut him off. He could hardly fault him for what she did with the damned thing months after he'd taught her how to use it, probably for some innocuous purpose.

'Kate, are you telling me that you made up that photo by yourself?'

'It's not that hard, Gibbs.'

She hadn't answered the question.

Recognition dawned on Gibbs.

'You're not the only one who's good with computers around here, are you, McGee?'

It was as close to an apology as anyone was likely to get from Gibbs.

He reached for his phone and punched in the number for Abby's lab. When she answered, he growled without preamble, 'GET YOUR ASS UP HERE!'


	3. Chapter 3

The bubbly Goth appeared a few minutes later, trying hard to maintain a cheerful façade even though her stomach was churning uncomfortably. Gibbs didn't usually shout at her like that, and even though he often hung up on her, he didn't slam the phone down like he'd just done. She didn't have a clue how he'd found out about the photo that she'd made for Kate, but she could only assume that that was what this was about.

'McGee, go see if Ducky has that report for me yet.'

'Uh, Boss....'

'GO!'

McGee went.

Gibbs turned towards Abby.

'Would you like to tell me why you thought making that photo was a good idea?'

'What ph...'

'Don't even think about lying to me, Abs.'

'Uh... because Tony was being mean to Kate, and we thought he could use a taste of his own medicine?'

'Did you even consider how much trouble something like that could have caused!'

'Why are you yelling at _me_, Gibbs! Tony's the one who started it! You don't have a problem with him embarrassing Kate, but you freak out when we do the same thing to him? What kind of double-standard...'

'Tony's in trouble of his own, Abby. What he did was immature and insensitive...'

Gibbs paused to glare at Tony.

'...but it wouldn't have caused anything more than just embarrassment, if it did get out.'

'"_Just"_ embarrassment?! Gibbs!'

He silenced Kate with another glare.

'What you two did to him was just as immature, but it also had the potential to affect Tony's job.'

'And you don't think that having a photo like that floating around the office would affect _my_ job?!'

'No, Kate. If that photo got out, people would laugh about it for a few days, but Tony would be the one getting written up for violating the sexual harassment policy. If that thing you and Abby put together got out, _Tony_ would be the one facing career implications, not you two.'

'Oh, come off it, Gibbs. NCIS is a civilian agency; 'don't ask, don't tell' doesn't apply here. Even if the photo were _real_, it wouldn't....'

'Not on paper. But if you really believe it wouldn't affect his ability to deal with sailors and marines on a day-to-day basis, you're more naïve than I thought. Maybe it _shouldn't_ be an issue, but you know as well as I do that it _would_ be.'

'But it's not even real...'

'And that helps, how? You think it would be that much easier for Tony to have to explain it away a dozen times a day? And you think the attention that fiasco would attract would make it any more comfortable for NCIS employees who _are_ gay and are trying to keep their sexual orientation out of the spotlight?'

'Gibbs, we didn't mean...'

'And you think that the publicity from your little stunt would help the reputation of this agency?'

'We didn't think about any of that, Gibbs! We just wanted Tony to realise that it's not nice to have a pin-up photo of you being held over your head!'

'I know you didn't think about it, Abs. That's the problem!'

Abby was in tears by now, and launched herself at Tony.

'I'm sooooo sorry, Tony! I never meant any of that! I just wanted you to stop being mean to Kate, and I thought that if you knew what it felt like to think that the whole world was going to see something you didn't want them to see, that you wouldn't keep using that photo to tease her. You believe me, don't you? I wasn't trying to hurt you... well, not really hurt you... just a little hurt you, like you hurt Kate. You do believe me, right? Can you ever forgive me?'

She finally stopped rambling, and loosened her hug enough for him to breathe. Gasping for air, he croaked out 's'okay, Abs...' and tried to pry her arms off a bit more. She startled him by releasing him entirely.

But it was only for a moment. She grabbed Kate and pulled her into a group hug, seizing an astonished Tony once again.

'Tell Tony you're sorry, Kate,' she demanded.

'Not until he apologises to me,' she retorted, struggling to free herself from Abby's grasp.

An ear-piercing whistle had them all jumping to attention.

'Since you obviously need a reminder about how to work together as a team, I have a little exercise for you. I'm going for coffee. When I get back, the three of you will tell me how you'd like me to punish you for your idiotic behaviour. If I'm not satisfied with your answer, you'll get whatever you suggest _plus_ what I think you really deserve.'

Three pairs of eyes stared at him in astonishment.

Ignoring the beginnings of protest, Gibbs headed toward the elevator.


	4. Chapter 4

'So... do you think he'll be satisfied if we tell him that we think he should spank us, or does he want us to work out the details, too?'

'I hope not. "Ten strokes with a ruler in the conference room" sounds like the S&M edition of Clue or something.'

Tony laughed. Abby sat down on his desk and pouted.

'I hate this! Isn't it bad enough that he's going to spank us? Does he really have to make us wait, and then _ask_ him for it?'

'Well, there's no way I'm asking him to spank me, so we'd better start thinking of something else.'

'Oh, c'mon, Kate. It's obvious what the 'right' answer is here.'

'I don't care what he's expecting us to do; I'm not...'

'Weren't you listening when he said that if he's not satisfied, we'll get what we suggest _and_ what he thinks we deserve? You tell him you want us to have to clean out the supply cupboard, or whatever, and we're just going to end up having to do that, with sore butts!'

'Then we'd better decide on something that will satisfy him.'

'News flash, Kate: there _isn't_ anything else that's gonna satisfy Gibbs! Besides, it's two against one, right Abs?'

'Sorry, Tony, but it's not a democracy here. I'm not going along, just because you both say so.'

'We could do rock paper scissors?'

'No, Abby, we can't. Because hell will freeze over before...'

'I take it this means you haven't reached a decision.'

They looked up, startled. They'd been so busy quarrelling that they hadn't heard Gibbs return.

'Uh, Boss... Abby and I agree that that you should... uh... spank us... but....'

Tony trailed off, leaving the fact that Kate disagreed unsaid.

'Agent Todd? How do _you_ think I should punish you?'

'I don't.'

Gibbs stared at her incredulously.

'I don't think _you_ should punish us at all. I think you should follow protocol and leave matters of discipline to the Director.'

'Oh, no way! Kate! I do _not_ want 'sexual harassment' in my file! Maybe that doesn't look so bad for a woman but for me...'

Gibbs silenced Tony with an impatient hand gesture. He raised one eyebrow, and half smirked as he asked Kate, 'And just what makes you think he wouldn't do the same thing?'

'What?'

'You'd really rather be spanked by Morrow than by me?'

'What?! No... nononono... you can't be serious. The Director? There's no way he'd...'

'Oh, he _would_, Kate. And trust me, you would not prefer that option.'

Kate stared at him in shock, trying to process the idea that the Director would be as willing to use unofficial methods of discipline as Gibbs was. She had a hard enough time getting her head around the fact that Gibbs spanked his agents when they screwed up... and he was... well... Gibbs! The Director paid more attention to politics, and doing things by the book; he had to, with his position, but it also seemed to be more a part of his personality than it was for Gibbs who, despite his background in the Marines, tended to make his own rules and to bristle against orders. She had a harder time imaging Morrow ignoring the official discipline policies and _spanking_ them.

But a half-remembered conversation edged into her mind, making her rethink her assumptions. About a year earlier, Gibbs had removed his bullet-proof vest during an undercover operation and then had been summoned to the Director's office as soon as they'd returned. He'd seemed unusually brusque with them later, even for him, and he'd moved with an uncharacteristic stiffness. And he had abruptly rejected Tony's suggestion that they sit down to discuss their reports. Had Morrow...?

Kate shuffled her feet nervously. She still wasn't entirely convinced that the Director would spank them, but she was definitely sure that she did not want that happening! It was bad enough being spanked by Gibbs; it would be infinitely worse having to accept that kind of personal chastisement from someone she knew less well, and with whom she had a much more formal relationship. And Gibbs had hinted that the Director's spankings were particularly unpleasant; it would have to have been bad if _Gibbs_ was acting like he was in pain afterwards! She'd seen the man ignore fairly serious injuries to chase down a suspect, and he'd been pretty quiet about getting _shot_; she didn't want to think about what kind of spanking would make him want to avoid his chair.

'Ok, fine!' she declared angrily, shooting resentful glares at everyone present and crossing her arms over her chest to emphasise her displeasure at the situation.

Gibbs didn't say anything, but he moved his hands in a rapid series of gestures. None of the signs were anything Kate recognised, but she did understand Abby's response – a rapid shake of the head, pigtails swinging wildly, and a signed 'please'. Gibbs held up a single finger, and Abby's eyes widened. A second finger – clearly counting – and Abby fled towards the elevator. Since Gibbs didn't object, he must have sent her somewhere.

But before she could wonder more about it, Gibbs had seized her and Tony by the arm and was marching them towards a conference room.


	5. Chapter 5

Kate and Tony stood in the hallway outside the conference room. Gibbs had deposited them on either side of the doorway, told them to send Abby in when she arrived, and then gone inside himself.

'What do you think he's gonna do?'

'Gee, Kate, I don't know. Maybe... _spank_ us?!'

'You know what I mean, Tony!'

Before he could reply with an equally biting comment, Abby appeared. She seemed to have something in her hand, tucked inside the lab coat she was wearing, and she looked very nervous.

'He said you should go right in, Abby.'

'Do I have to?'

She sounded very small and childlike.

'Just get it over with, Abs.'

'Yeah, ok...'

She reached for the door handle.

'Hey, wait a minute... what are you hiding?'

'Oh, it's... uh...'

She held up a ping-pong paddle, smiling sheepishly.

'...this. Gibbs sent me to get it.'

Tony squeaked.

Kate felt the blood drain from her face. She told herself it had to be less painful than being whipped with a belt, but she was still certain that that the vinyl-covered wood would hurt.

Abby slipped into the conference room and shut the door behind her.

For a few minutes all Kate could make out was muffled voices Then, an impossibly loud _smack_ made her jump slightly. Her eyes met Tony's, and they winced in unison as the next swat was heard. And another. And another, almost drowned out by Abby's cry of pain.

Kate stuffed her fingers in her ears, not caring that Tony would tease her for it later; she didn't want to listen to her friend being spanked, and knowing that it would soon be her on the other side of the door made it all the worse.

Finally the sounds from inside the room ended, but it was a few minutes later before Abby finally emerged, still snuffling quietly.

'Tony, he said you're next,' she managed to mutter, refusing to meet either of their eyes. She shuffled off to the elevator, not looking back.

Kate wasn't sure whether to be grateful or annoyed that she had to wait until last to be spanked. She had no desire for the inevitable to happen, and harboured a desperate hope that the team would be called out on a case before Gibbs got to her. And, she told herself, it had to better to be spanked when his arm was already tired. But waiting meant another few minutes of listening to the terrifying sounds of a friend being paddled, her own heart-rate steadily increasing in anticipation.

It was like standing outside the principal's office. She'd never been in serious trouble at school, and had certainly never been strapped by the humourless old nun responsible for discipline, but she'd once had to wait, nervously, for a conversation about the length of her skirt. She smiled slightly, remembering how she'd convinced Sr. Margaret that it had shrunk in the wash, and she had been in such a rush in the morning that she hadn't noticed until she was already on the school bus. Most of her class-mates would not have been able to get away with that, but Kate had carefully cultivated her 'good girl' reputation; when she did let her wild side show, she was always able either to maintain a façade of innocence, or escape with only mild punishment for her seemingly uncharacteristic behaviour.

She was startled out of her reverie by Tony's loud yelp of pain from behind the door. Again she stuffed her fingers into her ears, determined not to listen.

It was all too soon that the door was opening again.


	6. Chapter 6

Kate stepped into the conference room, closed the door behind her a little too loudly and glared at the sole other occupant. She was suddenly determined not to give Gibbs time to order her into position; it was a way of maintaining some small illusion of being in control of the situation, if she wasn't responding to an overt command. She walked straight to the large table in the centre of the room and leaned over it with a small huff.

She didn't hear him moving to stand behind her; as always, he moved with a sniper's stealth. The first she knew of his proximity was the hand coming to rest on her back.

'Lose the attitude, Kate.'

She made a small tsking sound of impatience and resentment.

Her ass suddenly exploded in pain. She hissed softly, unprepared for the first blow, and concentrated hard on remaining silent for the next. But the hard swat wasn't immediately followed by another, and instead Gibbs spoke softly to her.

'Stop acting like a victim here, Kate. You know damn well you deserve this. And if you'd stop feeling sorry for yourself for half a minute, you'd realise that I gave you this option for _your_ benefit. You don't want this kind of crap going on the record. This way, when it's over, it's over.'

She knew he was right, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. She was still embarrassed, and resentful, and scared, and wasn't ready to let Gibbs see that she secretly agreed with him. She didn't reply, and braced herself for the spanking to begin in earnest.

As she predicted, the paddling was hard and her ass was soon burning with a deep warm pain. She focused on her anger, drawing strength from the hostility she was feeling towards the man she normally admired. She struggled to ignore the mounting pain, determined not to let Gibbs see how much the punishment was affecting her.

But his words were echoing in her ears, drowning out even the sounds of the paddle landing hard on her aching bottom. Each sharp burst of pain was accompanied by a growing recognition that she _did_ deserve this, and it _was_ a more merciful penalty than official sanctions would be. As her grasp on her anger faltered, she began to whimper softly, no longer able to maintain the pretence that it didn't hurt. She was sobbing openly when the spanking finally stopped.

She felt Gibbs pulling her into a hug, and struggled briefly against the comfort he was offering before letting herself cry against his shoulder. His hand stroked her hair soothingly and her sobs quietened. When he finally gently pulled away, there was concern rather than anger in his eyes.

'You're just making it harder on yourself by acting like an overindulged child, Kate. You don't like to admit that you screwed up, so you lash out at everyone around you, and blame me for punishing you. You'd find it a lot easier if you'd accept that you're not infallible, and let the punishment take care of your guilt, instead of using anger as a defence mechanism.'

Once again, there was more truth in his words than she was willing to acknowledge.

'I'm sorry that I don't have enough experience being spanked to be able to do it to your satisfaction, Gibbs.'

The biting tone of her retort made his eyes harden, the compassion replaced by a spark of anger.

'_More_ experience can be arranged, Agent Todd, if you don't watch your attitude.'

She glared at him, shifting her eyes meaningfully towards the door, clearly asking _can I go now?_

'It's not about _experience_, Kate. It's about attitude. I wouldn't be getting this crap from McGee if he needed to be punished, and he's been in trouble even less than you have.'

Kate forced herself not to smile at the mental image of Tim facing a spanking. Assuming he managed not to pass out in sheer terror, he'd probably apologise to Gibbs for the inconvenience of having to discipline him. She felt a bit foolish; Gibbs had been right that a lot of her anger towards him was because it was easier than admitting her own failings and accepting responsibility. But she wasn't about to admit that, certainly not to him, not now.

'And I would have thought you'd have some understanding of the concepts of penance and absolution,' Gibbs added, his eyes flicking over the cross she wore at her throat.

Kate wilted a bit more, crossing her arms as she had done earlier, but signalling more insecurity than defiance by the gesture, this time. Gibbs finally nodded toward the door, allowing her to leave. She retreated to the ladies' room to pull herself together, resolutely trying to convince himself that he couldn't possibly have a point.


End file.
